Spinach harvesting machine



April 29, 1941. w. Em-URSCHEL ,2

SPINACH HARVESTING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (ATTORNEY April 29, 1941. w. E. URSCHEL 2,240,273

SPINACH HARVESTING MACHINE F1186 April 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY April 29, 1941; w. E. uRscHEL: 2

SPINACH HARVESTING- MACHINE.

Filed April 15 193,9; 4: Sheets-Sheet 5.x

3 @z/lzm 1? $2 2281 ATTORNEY April 29, 1941. w. E. URSCHEL 2,240,273

' SPINACH HARVESTING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 29, 19.41

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,240,273 srnmou HARVESTING 1mm William E. Urschel, Valparaiso, 1nd.

Application April 15, 1939, Serial No. 268,084 10 Claims. (01. 56157 This invention has to do with a harvesting machine for a row crop as spinach and relates more particularly to an improved gathering apparatus therefor;

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved gathering apparatus for a row crop harvesting machine'that is adapted to gather the stalks and leaves of the crop by cutting the same close to the ground and efficiently convey and deposit the same in suitable receptacles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine comprising a plurality of gathering apparatuses or assemblies which are adjustable to coincide with differently spaced row centers.

Another object of the invention is the pro-' vision of a machine of the above type employing crop gathering belts and wherein a plurality of driving pulleys are effective for driving each of said belts.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a machine as the above which is inherently light in weight and thus easily manipulated in soft soil, as that usually present in cultivated fields.

Other desirable objects of the invention will become apparent when reading the following de scription with reference to the accompanying four sheets of drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. Sis a perspective view of a stalk gathering assembly which forms a part of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the stalk gatherin assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 3; I

Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of one of the stalk gathering belts employed in the present machine;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view taken in perspective to illustrate a cutting knife arrangement employed in the present machine; p

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modified structure of stalk cutting knives that may be employed in the machine.

Referring now to the drawings, and particular- Figs. 1 and 2, it will be understood that the machine frame consists of identical fabricated side-frames l0 and l I. The side-frame l0 inoludes frame members 12 and l3'which converge forwardly where they meet and are joined together. The members [2 and I3 are connected by a nearly vertical cross piece l4 substantially midway between their forward and back ends. A vertical frame member I5 is suitably secured to the back ends of theamembers l2 and I3.

Side-frame member ll, Fig. 2, consists of opposed and similarly arranged parts corresponding to the members [2, l3, l4 and I5. Vertical member l6 which is opposed to vertical member I 5 is shown in Fig. 2. 7

Cross bars I! and [8 are provided at the back of the machine and are secured at their opposite ends respectively to the side-frames l0 and Ill. At the front of the machine the side-frames l0 and H are bridged by a cross plate l9. Angle pieces 20, one of which'is shown in Fig. 1', have their horizontal flanges (not shown) attached to V opposite end portions of the cross plate 19' and have their vertical flanges secured to the respectively associated side-frames l0 and H by means of bolts 2|. In Fig. 2 a cross piece 22a is shown secured at its opposite ends to the two sideframes I0 and II.

The frame is supported upon ground wheels 2M and 202 which are freely rotatable uponop- V posite ends of an axle 203 which is anchored in frame pieces 204 and 205, Figs. 1 and 2, that are respectively fixed upon the side-frames l0 and H. Handle bars 206 and 201 are also attached to the side-frame members. The machine may be manually pushed and guided by means, of these handle bars and may be drawn through .the field by draft means connected with either or both of the clevises 208 and 209 which are attached to the cross plate l9, Fig. 2.

The illustrated machine has two crop gathering assemblies at the front thereof, one assembly being provided for each of two rows which are to be harvested simultaneously. Since these assemblies are of identical structure, a detailed description of only one of them will be given. The assembly to be so described is that shown far-V ,thestto the right in Fig. 2, the details of which appear in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and the crop gathering assembly there mutually shown includes vertical shafts 22 and 23v which extend through and are journalled in vertical sleeves 24 and 25. The sleeves 24 and 25 are anchored at their upper ends to the cross plate l9 which has apertures therein (not shown) for receiving'the upper ends of the shafts Hand 23. Sleeves 24 and 25 carry horizontally disposed guard plates 26 and 21 upon their lower ends, these plates being provided with arcuate back end sections 28 and 29 to accommodate pivotal movement of parts presently to be described. Shafts 22 and 23 have gears 39 and 3| splined or keyed to their upper end sections as well as pulleys 32 and 33. Said gears 39 and'3|, during operation of the machine, are driven respectively from gears 34 and 35. The pulleys 32 and 33 are provided with V grooves for receiving and transmitting driving force to endless belts 36 and 31.

Identical pulleys as 38 are carried non-rotatively upon the lower end sections of the shafts 22 and 23 below the plates 26 and 21.

same. Said belts 39 and 49 are rotated in the T e pulleys as 38 have respectively mounted thereon crop gathering belts 39 and 40 for driving the parts of the belts 31 and 40. Vertical displacement of the shaft 6| is prevented by the pulleys 62 and 63 abutting against the ends of the sleeve 51. The tension of the belts 31 and 40 may be adjusted by loosening the bolts 60 whereby the sleeve 51 and the shaft 6| and pulleys 62 and 63 may be selectively adjusted radially of the pulleys 33 and 38. After the adjustment is made it may be maintained by again tightening the bolts 60. r I

A dust and debris guard plate 64,. Figs. 3 and 5, is attached to the lower end of the sleeve 51.

- This guard plate 64 has a forward arcuate edge that the opposed and converging flightsthereof.

engage and hold the crop during severance'from" its lower stalk portions by knife meanssubse*-- quently to be described.

In Figs. 6 and 7 it will be seen that the belts as 40 are composite in structure, there being a strong firm layer A for'engaging and receiving tractive force front the pulleys as1348and a1 thicker resilient and comparatively soft layer B for engaging the crop in .a manner to avoid crushing or bruising the same. For example, layer A may be reinforced with fabric whereas layer B may be ordinary unreinforced soft vulcanizedrubber or sponge or foam rubber.

Shoes 4| and 42 secured respectively to. the sleeves 24 and 25 and to the guard plates 26 and 21 are operative to passbeneath low stalks and leaves and lift the same for guiding them into the space between the opposed flights of the belts 39 and 40. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the shoe 4| is attached both to the sleeve 24,.Fig.p3,' and. to the corresponding sleeve in the left-hand crop gathering assembly, and that said 'shoe has both right and left edges arranged ahgularly'to' respectively guide the crop into the right-hahd and left-hand crop gathering assemblies.

Each assembly is so constructed andsupported that the section at which the crop gathering belts 39 and 40 meet for gripping the oropfcan be adjusted laterally so as to cause the assemblies to squarely coincide with the crop rows. This construction and mode of support will now be described. In Fig. 4 a vertical pintlerod 43 is shown secured at its upper end to the cross plate l9 and at its lower end to an ear 44 which projects backwardlyfrom the sleeve 25. A similar rod, 45, is secured in its lower end to an ear 59 on the sleeve 24 and at its upper end to the plate I 9. These rods 43 and'45 serve'as pivotal supports for back portions of the gathering assembly whereby these back portions'may be adlusted laterally with respect to one another. A

vertically disposed plate 5| is provided with brackets 52 and 53 at its forward edge and which are apertured to pivotally receive sections of the rod 43. This plate 5| is provided at its upper-and lower edges with out-turned flanges 54 and 55 to which the brackets 52 and 53; are respectively secured.

At its back edge section the pivoted plate 5| carries a sleeve 51-, such sleeve having a forwardly projecting rib 58 provided with elongated apertures 59 which receive the shanks of bolts 60 anchoredin the plate 5|. A shaft 6| is rotative- 1y carried in the sleeve 51, there being pulleys 62 and 63 respectively upon upper and lower end sections of the shaft 6| for carrying the back 6 5 struck at the same radius as the arcuate edge mitting pivotal movement of those parts carried by thevertical plate 5| about an axis in the Plate 64'has a stub bearing 66 anchored to its under side and projecting downwardly for carrying an idler pulley 61. Said pulley is so disposed and is of such a diameter as to project the conveyor flight of the belt outwardly, whereby there is provided upon such flight of the belt a straight section 49A in converging relation with a similar section 39A on thebelt 39 and a section 49B presented contiguously witha similarsection 393 on the belt 39. An idler pulley (not shown) is mounted beneath the guard plate 68. to press the conveyor flight of the belt 39, outwardly for effecting the sections 39A and39B. In fact, all apparatus. carried by the pivotally supported plate 10, which corresponds to the plate 5|, is identicalwith that carriediupon the plate 5| with the exception that some of the parts are lefthand instead of right-hand.

Pivotal adjustment of the plates5| and 19 is accomplished by means illustrated in Fig. 8. In this figure the plates 5| and10 are shown to have brackets 1| and 12 secured to their upper flanges as 54. The upstanding section of each of these brackets is apertured for respectively receiving bolts 13 and 14 which are adapted for sliding movement therein. Bolt 13 is anchored in a lug 15 which is connected with the frame cross bar 22a by means'ofa bolt 16, whereas'the bolt 14 is anchored in a lug 11 secured to the cross bar 22a by means of a bolt 18. Compression springs 19 and 89 normally press the brackets 1| and 12 firmly against the lugs 15 and 11 wherefore the pivotal positions of the plates 5| and 10 may be changed by reattaching the bolts 18 and 18 selectively along the cross bar 22a. Apertures are provided in the bar 220. for this purpose. The bolt 16 is shown in an aperture 19 in the cross bar 2211, but may be removed and reinserted in either of the apertures 80 or*8|. Similarly, the bolt 18 is shown in an aperture 82 in the cross '60 bar 22a but may be removed and reinserted in either of the apertures 83 or 84.

Repositioning of the bolts 16 and 18 in different apertures oi the cross bar 22a lSfOl the purpose of changing the spacing between the gathering belts of the two crop gathering assemblies (the right-hand and left-hand assemblies illustrated in Fig. 2) so that such spacing will correclockwise rotation of the gear 3| and the shaft cident towhich change'the bolt 16 may be removed into aperture 89, the bolt 19 will be removed a like distance in the same direction into aperture 83. If adjustment should be made for the accommodation of more widely spaced crop rows wherefore the bolt 16 is removed into the aperture 8|, the bolt 19 will be moved a like distance in the same direction into the aperture The springs 19 and 89 hearing against the brackets 1| and 12 .yieldingly maintain the opposed conveyor flights of the belts 49 and 39 in their contiguous relation, but because of the yieldable character of these springs, such sections of the belt are separable incident to mov ing the plates and 19 apart while compressing said springs. Thesprings 19 and 89, during normal operation of the machine are sufliciently strong to maintain the contiguous belt section substantially together, but will yield to permit separation of these belt sections when hard for,- eign objects such as stones may pass therebetween.

In Fig. '7 a disc knife 85 is shown upon and rotatable with the lower end of vertical shaft 6|. Said knife 85 has a serrated edge 86. A complementary knife 81 is secured to a bracket 89, Fig. '7, and has a hook-shaped cutting edge 89 disposed adjacently to and in overlapping relation with the edge 86 of the knife 85. Said e forward speed of the machine relatively to the ground wherefore said flights remain substan' tially stationary relatively to the ground. These flights are therefore adapted to grip and to holdthe crop while the knives 85 and 81 are advanced with the machine for severing such crop. from its root portions. Furthermore, since the belts 39 and 49 are inclined upwardly from front to back, the contiguous portions of said belts areelevate'd as the machine advances whereby {the crop gripped thereby is lifted to enable ,the knives to sever the stalks at lower sectionsthan otherwise With continued forward movement of the machine the conveyor flights discharge the severed crop into the bottom of a loading chute 9|,Fig. 1. 2 r

Means for driving the gathering assemblies will now be described. Ground wheel 29| carries a sprocket 92 upon its. hub for rotation therewith. This sprocket 92 is in alignment with a sprocket 93 carried non-rotatively upon a shaft 94 at the front of the machine. A driving chain 95 is carried by the sprockets 92 and 93. The

shaft 94 is journalled in bearing standards 99 and 91 which are mounted upon the upper face of the cross plate I9. In addition to the sprocket 93 the shaft 94 carries the bevelled gears 34 and 35 which are meshed respectively with thegears,

39 and 3| upon the upper ends of the vertica shafts 22 and 23, Figs. 2 and 3.

In Fig. 2 it will be observed that forward movement of the machine will cause rotation of the ground wheel 29| in such a direction that the upper flight of the chain 95 will be moved.

23 upon which this gear i mounted. Consequently, because of the operative connection between the pulleys 33 and 62 establishedby the.

belt 31 the shaft 6| will also be rotated clockwise, Figs. 2 and 3. Therefore the pulleys'38 and I53 upon the lower end sections of the shafts 23 and BI will cause rotation of'the crop gathering belt 49 in the direction indicated by the arrow alongside thereof in Fig. 3. The relative diameter of the sprockets 92 and 93 and of the gears 35 and 3| and of the gears 34 and 39 is such that the opposed backwardly moving flights of the belts 39 and 49 will move backwardlyat substantially the same rate of speed relatively to the machine as the forward ground speed of said machine. It follows that these sections have no substantial forward or backward movement with respect to the ground but simply close upon the crop and remain immovable in gripping rela-.

tion with respect thereto. I

The power train for 'driving the left-hand gathering assembly, Fig. 2, is similar to that just described for driving the' right-handassembly. The hub of ground wheel 292 non-rotativelycarries-a chain sprocket 98. A shaft 99 carried by bearings I99 and I 9| on the cross .plateI9 pre-' sents a sprocket I93 in alignment with the sprocket 98. A chain I94 is provided for driving the sprocket I93 from the sprocket 98 when. the ground wheel 292 is rotated incident to forward movement of the machine; Consequently the gears I95 and I 96 on shaft 99 are enabled to drive the parts of the left-hand crop gathering assembly in the same manner as the gears 34 and 35 drive the parts of the right-hand crop gathering assembly. 1

hers I5 and I6; see Fig. 1.

The backwardly and upwardly directed chute 9| hereinabove referred to has side members I91, one of which is shown in Fig. l, and a bottom member I99. 1 This chute, 9|, has an open top excepting for a plurality of spaced'apartbars I99 which are secured at their upper, ends to a cross bar 9 (attached to the-handle bars 299 and 291) and at their lower ends to across bar III, Figs. 1 and 2. 1

Means for conveying the severed crop upwardly through the chute 9| will now be described. This conveyor means comprises a shaft ||2extending transversely of the'machin'e frame and journalled in bearing members H3 and 4 which are respectively secured to the side-frames I9 .and II. More specifically, the bearing members; I I3 and H4 are mounted upon the upright frame mem- The vertical cross pieces I4 and I4 non-rotatively holda cross shaft I I5'in place in the lower part of the frame. Sprockets H6 and H1 disposed rotatively upon the fixed shaft I I5 are in respective alignment with the sprockets B and 9 fixed to the rotatable shaft H2. Sprockets IIG andlla'carry a chain I29, whereas the sprockets H1 and H9 carry a chain I2I. Cross bars I22 extend between and are carried by the chains I29 and I2I. Each of the cross bars has a plurality of fingers I23, Figs. 1 and 2, projecting normally outwardly with respect thereto, said fingers being aligned with the spaces between the bars I99 covering the chute 9|.

Duringoperation of the machine while the ground wheels 29I and 292 are being rotated, a

sprocket I24 disposed non-rotatively uponthe hub of the wheel 29I, drives a chain I25 which in turn through a sprocket I26 disposed non-rota. tively upon the rotatable shaft II2 drivessaid shaft. Thus the chain conveyor comprising chains I and I2I, the cross pieces:orcslats'l22 and the fingers I23 is caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig, 1.

The severed crop portions deposited by the belts as 39 and 40 of the crop gathering, assemblies upon the lower bottom portion of the chute 9I are engaged by the fingers I23 of the conveyor.

belt and carried by these fingers upwardly through the chute from which the crop is discharged and permitted to drop into a suitable receptacle such as a basket I21, Fig. 1. During such rotation of the conveyor the bars I09 confine'the crop Within the chute 9| and provide a rest for the cross bars I22 traveling in the lower flight of the belt.

Support means for the receptacle I21 may be provided in the formof L-shaped bars I28 having vertical legs I29 and horizontal legs I30. The horizontal legs I30 are spanned by cross members I3I which provide a suitable supportfor the re-' ceptacle I21. Hooks I32 are provided at the upper 'ends of the legs I29 for attaching to the frame cross bar IT. The support member I28 is easily detached from the machine by lifting the r same for removing the hooks from their connection with the cross bar I'I. I j

An alternative arrangement of crop cutting knives is illustrated in Fig. 9. In this figure the rotatable disc knife 85' corresponds to the previously described knife 85 and is rotatable with the shaft BI. A similar disc knife I34 is non-rotatively connected with the shaft I 35 and takes the place of the fixed knife 81 shown in Fig. 7.

I claim:

1. A crop harvesting machine comprising substantially parallel and upright fore and aft shafts, bearing means on said machine rotatably holding the fore shaft, bearing means'rotatively holding the aft shaft, adjustable extension means pivotally connected with the machine adjacently to the fore bearing means for movement about a vertical axis and in support of the aft bearing means, a pair of pulleys respectively driven by and disposed about the lower end portions of. said shafts, an endless crop gathering belt disposed upon said pulleys andpresenting a conveyor flight, abutment means having a portion in opposed contiguous relation with the conveyor flight of said belt, a knife driven by and disposed about the lower endsection of the aft shaft below the pulley thereon, the cutting edge of said knife projecting into substantial vertical alignment with the contiguous portion ofsaid abutment means, driving means for rotating the fore shaft, means for driving the aft shaft from the fore shaft and so constructed and arranged that said belt receives driving force from each" of said pulleys, and means yieldingly tending to pivot said extension means for maintaining pres sure between the contiguous portions of said belt and said abutment means.

2. A crop harvesting machine comprising a pair of laterally spaced upright fore shafts journalled for rotation about their principal axes, a pairof laterally spaced upright aft shafts respectively to the rear of the fore shafts, journal members respectively carrying said aft shafts, a

pair of adjustable extension means pivotally secured to said machine respectively adjacently to said fore shafts for pivotal movement about vertical axes and respectively in support of said journal members, fore shaft pulleys respectively" driven by and disposed about lower end portions of said fore shafts, aft shaft pulleys respectively means yieldingly urging said extension means to turn about their pivots to place said opposed sections of the belts in contiguous relation, means for rotating the fore shafts, and means driven by said fore shafts for'rotating the aft shafts, and each of said rotating means being effective for-imparting such rotation to the shafts driven thereby that the pulleys thereon cause rotation of the belts in such a direction that the opposed conveyor flights thereof travel from front to back. a

3. A "harvesting machine as set forth in claim 2, and wherein knives are respectively carried upon said extension meansadjacent to said belts, and wherein the cutting edges of said knives include horizontal forwardly directed portions disposed in overlapping relation at a point in substantially vertical alignment with the contiguous sections of said belts.

4i A harvesting machine as set forth in claim 2, and wherein disc knives are respectively carried upon lower end portions of the aft shafts for rotation therewith, and wherein the cutting edges of said knives include horizontal forwardly forwardly of the crop shearing means to a position above and rearwardly of said shearin means, means for sliding beneath and lifting low leaves of the crop while said flights of the belts are advanced into position for gripping the plant stalk portions beneath such leaves, and means for rotating said belts at such speed and in such a direction that said flights have substantially no forward or backward movement relatively to the crop'row but are moved upwardly and rearwardly relatively to the machine whereby the contiguous portions of the belts grip and lift the crop-for guiding lower stalk portions thereof into the shearing means and for discharging the thus severed leaf portion of the crop rearwardly of said shearing means,

6. A row crop harvesting machine, comprising a frame, crop shearing means carried upon said frame in a position to coincide with stalk portions of the crop slightly above the ground level while the machine traverses a crop row, a pair of crop gathering belts having opposed flights directed backwardly and upwardly from a position near theground level and forwardly of the crop shearing means to a position above and rearwardly of said shearing means, said belt flights being spread apart at their forward portions' andconverging into coengagement at rearward portions, and means for rotating said belts at suchspeed and in such a direction that said lfiights have substantially no forward or backward movement relatively to the crop row but are moved upwardly and rearwardly relatively to the machine whereby the contiguous portions of the belts grip the crop for guiding lower stalk portions thereof into the shearing means and for discharging the thus severed leaf portion of the crop rearwardly of said shearing means.

'7. A crop harvesting machine comprising substantially parallel and upright rotatable shafts of which one is journalled for rotation in a predetermined position with respect to said machine, journal means carrying the other shaft and adjustable substantially circumferentially of the one shaft, means for restraining said journal means within selected positions of such adjustment, a pair of pulleys respectively driven by and associated with said shafts near their lower ends, an endless crop gathering belt disposed upon said pulleys, abutment means in opposed cooperative crop gripping relation with the conveyor flight of said belt, and means for rotating both of said shafts to transmit driving force to the belt through each of said pulleys.

8. A crop harvesting machine as in claim}! and wherein a crop shearing disc knife is disposed upon the shaft carried in the adjustable journal means, said knife being upon said shaft at a sec tion immediately below the crop gathering belt and of a diameter to project at'least to a position in substantial vertical alignment with the por tion of the conveyor flight of said belt that is in contiguous relation with said abutment means.

9. A crop harvesting machine comprising substantially parallel and upright fore and aft shafts of which the fore shaft is joumalled for rotation in a fixed position with respect to said machine,

journal means carrying the aft shaft and adjustable substantially circumferentially of the fore shaft, means yieldably holding said journal means in selected positions of such adjustment, a pair of pulleys respectively driven by and disposed about the lower end portions of said shafts, an endless crop gathering belt disposed upon said pulleys, abutment means in opposed relation with the conveyor flight of said belt, and means for rotating both of said shafts for transmitting driving force to the belt through each of said pulleys.

10. A crop harvesting machine comprising a pair of laterally spaced upright fore shafts journalled for rotation about their principal axes, a pair of laterally spaced upright aft shafts respectively to the rear of the fore shafts, journal members respectively carrying said aft shafts, and pivotally secured to said machine to provide for adjustment of the aft shafts substantially circumferentially of their respective fore shafts, means yieldably holding said journal means in selected positions of such adjustment, fore shaft pulleys respectively driven by and disposed about lower end portions of said fore shafts, aft shaft pulleys respectively driven by and disposed about lower end portions of said aft shafts, endless crop gathering belts each disposed mutually about one ofthe fore shaft pulleys and the aft shaft pulleyto the rear thereof, said belts presenting opposed complemental conveyor flights toward one another, and means for transmitting driving force of each of said pulleys through their shafts and in a direction to cause rotation of the belts inthe direction in which the opposed conveyor flights travel from front to back.

Wl -L AM URSCHE 

